I have neglected both my XKR and this forum for the last three months or so, as I was seriously looking to buy an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. It turns out that it is a sellers' market at the moment and prices of the handful of cars I had shortlisted have actually begun to rise, with demand outstripping supply.

That, together with the overall cost of the swap, has made me to decide to hang on to my Jag for the foreseeable future

I have treated the car to a thorough valet, inside and out, and am now thinking of fitting a proper loud exhaust to achieve some of the noise I would have had with the AM V8.

Any suggestions? I am looking for MEATY and THROATY. A proper V8 burble / deep bass type sound like a TVR. I do not want high-pitched metallic sound like a BMW M3 or a Ferrari, for example.

Oh yes, one more essential criteria: the new exhaust must be able to take the OE quad tailpipes, so I can retain the original look of the rear.

 

This cost about $300 to do. Start with deleting the rear muffler and have it staight piped and put your existing quad tips on. If you like the sound, stop there and you should be out less than $100. Want more sound, take out the center muffler and put in an "X" or "H" crossover to balance the exhaust. Too loud, put in 2 small glasspacks after the crossover. For me it was like the three little bears since my center muffler was deleted when I bought the car.





The Glasspacks take some of the raspyness out of the sound and knocked down the drone so it is barely noticable. Before and after pictures


With the crossover only and no center muffler

With glasspacks installed
__________________
DaveC

 

I think that since you have had a total change of tack the only real way forward, to get that perfect sound, and full penance from the forum, is a full AVos conversion. with the sports catalistic conversion.

Hey! ask the man how good that sound is? it's Heavenly.

Go on be that devil. It is impossible to be good with sooo much sinful sound and power.

The forum be with you,
C'apt Col.

 

Ahhh forgiveness shivness already......lol

None needed Frog, we all love you here mate, hope you get the exhaust note of your dreams....

Keep us updated

 

Welcome back. Glad that a car as nice as yours is staying with someone who appreciates it.

No need for guilt over the Aston lust. Have it myself from time to time.

And good luck with the exhaust upgrades. Plenty of good advice here on the forum as you well know.

 

Thanks for your forgiveness

I asked an exhaust specialist in the UK for a quote on a Milltek system, and they replied: "Please be aware that a stage 2 remap would be necessary if fitting sports cats otherwise the engine will log faults for the catalysts and put the engine management light on."

Don't know if I can be bothered with all that. Maybe I'll stick with my already slightly modified exhaust (back box delete).

 

Welcome "back," Frog. I'm sure you've seen these threads before, but I'll reiterate that the Nameless Performance 200-cell cats are an excellent addition for the exhaust. Much throatier than the stock cats, very well made, and they do NOT cause the ECM to throw error codes. They're also much lighter in weight than the stock cats. Combined with a few other changes in pipes and boxes, I think you would be quite happy.

I've been running mine for about a year now, and I'm very pleased with the upgrade.

Have a look: Nameless Performance


.

 

Many thanks for the link. Are you saying by just replacing the downpipes for $899 I can expect a deeper V8 noise? No other alterations to the rest of the exhaust?

 

The Nameless Pipes are much less restricting than the stock pipes...stock is 400 cell, I believe, and the Nameless units are 200-cell.

So yes, the easier engine breathing that results also makes a nice difference in exhaust note...much more purposeful, deeper and throatier on my car. There are several threads on these units...Xenophobe and many others have fitted these units and all seem to be happy. Search on the forum for nameless and you'll see many thoughts.

No alterations to the stock system is needed...the Nameless units are designed specifically for your car. You might choose to replace your oxygen sensors while you're at it...I did this but my sensors were much older than yours.

You might also choose to make OTHER alterations, such as the deletion or replacecment of boxes or resonators, but in my opinion, the first change you should make is to toss those ugly, heavy, resitrictive stock cats and replace them with the Nameless units. I did it myself in an afternoon. Then have a listen...if you want more growl, start deleting or replacing boxes.

We're looking forward to hearing about it!


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Yes, the OEM cats are horribly designed. They reduce exhaust "voice" more than any other single component.

If you're looking for good exhaust note, replacing the cats FIRST should be your priority. If that alone doesn't do enough for you, then you can remove the rear mufflers, keeping the rear resonators or going with a Mina or similar kit to remove the crimped over the axle pipes.

Just removing the center muffler sounds like crap on an XKR... though it sounds fine on an XK8.


^ completely agree.

 

Lol, I've only been back here a day and you guys have already cost me $1000

Seriously, many thanks for your replies. The Nameless cats seem to offer exactly what I am looking for: more sound, while retaining the all-important OE look. Just one last question before I order: The Coupe, you say you fitted them yourself. Do you have a car lift? Is access easy and are there any tips you could offer? Is there a how-to on here somewhere?

Many thanks.

 

Hmm, hunting around the forum, I have also come across electric cut-outs. These are new to me, but they appear to offer the ideal solution, i.e. quiet when you're taking the wife out for dinner and then loud when you want to have a bit of a thrash. Does anyone have any experience of these on their XK8/R?

 

Hi Frog - don't feel guilty about your AM thoughts - I have them too sometimes. Is there a support group for this? :-)

Vector's solution looks pretty cool.

I have been very happy with the difference the Nameless cats made for me on an otherwise stock exhaust system. I control the level of noise just by how hard I hit the accelerator and so for me I find it covers both scenarios (going out to dinner and going out for a spin) - with no drone.

I don't know what local regulations are in place where you live about modified exhausts - this may also affect what you want to do.

 

Frog,

No, I don't have a lift (wish I did). I do have four 6-ton jack stands and an SUV-type floor jack that, when a wood block is added to the equation, allows me to get the car fairly high off the floor. Certainly high enough to do this exhaust work.

I did get a bit of help from some instructions that WhiteXKR had posted onto the forum previously. These instructions are for an earlier XKR than yours, but nearly all information will still apply to your car. It's basically a straight swap, and like most procedures, access is the thing. But it's really not a terribly difficult job, and I'm sure you could get it done.

I've attached WhiteXKR's instructions (I'm sure Steve won't mind).


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I know how you feel about the Aston. I've been looking at a 97 DB7 red with tan top. It's in Denver CO, and only 24,900.00. If it were half as far from me, I'd be trading!!
Although, now that my arden kit is installed and everything about done, except exhaust,
The Aston and my car look sooo much alike! I also not a huge fan of red with tan. I think the convert aston looks even more like the xk8 than the coupe.

 

Meant to add pic of Aston Martin.
Tell me NOOO!!!!!

 

I have talked to my exhaust guy and we have been talking about electric cut outs and connecting it to lake pipes (runs along the lower sill like an old "D" type racer). You sometimes see this set-up on older Corvettes. Could be pretty wild.

 

Called them side pipe on the 69 Firebird. Also put sparkplugs in the pipes, flick a switch set the carb rich and had flames. Still have places on the back of my legs that will not grow hair. It was hell getting in and out of her when the pipes were hot!!!

 

I just got my 98 XK8 back from the local custom exhaust shop, and it rocks! The fellow at the shop made an H pipe to replace the center resonator, removed all four mufflers and added tubular glass packs where the huge rear cans used to be and finished it all off with some sweet stainless tips. At idle it has a nice V8 burble and powerful sound upon acceleration, no drone at all at any speed. On hard acceleration it roars like a Jaguar should, with some beautiful rap produced by the glass packs. All for 510 USD. Because I drive my car through the winter and over roads of questionable quality, he did not want to route the pipes under the axle because of clearance. The seat of my pants tells me that I've got 30 more HP than before, granted a Mina system would be made of stainless, but who can see that under the car, and why spend 2 grand more for the same result?

As far as warning lights go, not a one in the 300 miles I've put on it since install.

 

Sounds like you are close to my setup and glad you like the sound. I'm in for about $300 and love the sound. Here's the tips now.